If the UK museum returns the Egg to its owner, it could be in violation of sanctions.
The story was reported first by iNews.
According to The Art Newspaper, Viktor Vekselberg acquired the very first Egg in 2004. It was on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London from 1885 to 1885, when it was commissioned for Alexander III's wife.
The egg is housed at the Museum in St Petersburg, Russia, which was opened by Vekselberg. He passed the ownership of the egg to a Panamanian company.
Vekselberg has been hit with sanctions by western countries due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. When US President Joe Biden announced a plan to sell Russian oligarchs houses and yachts to help support Ukraine, the focus was on the $90 million superyacht owned by the Russian billionaire.
The egg in question is made of solid gold and enamel, and is just over two inches tall, according to the Art Newspaper. It can be opened to reveal a golden yolk.
Insider reached out to the Victoria and Albert Museum but did not receive a response.
Tom Keatinge, the director of financial-crime and security studies at the Royal United Services Institute, said that people think about bank accounts being frozen when they think about sanctions. Everyone is very focused on yachts, but a lot of people in other industries don't realize that the sanctions apply to them as much as they do to Barclays.
Should the gallery return the Egg to its owner, it could potentially violate the government's sanctions. He said that if you break it down, it can be an asset of a person. They all have the same obligations.
The V&A and Link of Times Foundation made the loan agreement for the object which is on loan from the Faberge Museum.
For security reasons, we are not able to provide details of individual loans. We are working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, as well as the lenders, to ensure the safe return of the objects, as required under the terms of the loan agreements.
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